Any brand launching sales in the CHR (cafés-hotels-restaurants) sector needs to implement an operational marketing strategy that promotes brand awareness, image and, above all, activation.
At the heart of this ambition lies the job of brand ambassador, an employee whose product expertise and human qualities help to win over both establishments and end consumers.
But this position can encompass a wide range of missions, and the French version "ambassadeur de marque" is now often used to describe an entirely different influence-related activity.
This article is aimed at all brands wishing to expand into the on-trade, whether they are new start-ups or players with a long-standing presence in supermarkets and hypermarkets.
We'll look at definitions, the classic missions of the brand ambassador in CHR, and finish with a job description that will help you find the rare pearl. 🧿
The job of a brand ambassador involves actively representing and promoting a brand, often through operational marketing, tastings, events or collaborations, in order to develop brand awareness and image. The main objective is to enhance the brand's visibility and reputation, while strengthening the relationship with the target audience.
Historically associated with the on-trade sector, the brand ambassador is synonymous with expertise and experience; he or she is the legitimate reference (validated by his or her industry) who knows how to talk about products and train retailers to promote them to customers. While their role is to influence and educate, brand ambassadors are not responsible for selling. It's up to field sales representatives to develop sales in the on-trade.
The French translation is "ambassadeur de marque". But beware: in recent years, this expression has become widely used to designate personalities and influencers that brands can call on in their communications.
To avoid confusion, the term brand ambassador is more appropriate. Finally, some brands choose other titles such as brand marketing ambassador.
In the food and beverage industry, ordering a product, and then consuming it on a regular basis, is highly dependent on the first experience. And while it's true that novelty arouses curiosity, some people are reluctant to try out new taste experiences (children know all about that!).
This obstacle has long obsessed marketers, who have finally come to the conclusion that the most important thing is to educate customers and consumers. It was therefore with a view to accompanying and encouraging the discovery - then the adoption and finally the ordinary consumption - of a brand's products, that the profession of brand ambassador was born.
Furthermore, not all products require the same level of support. For example, wine connoisseurs generally prefer to be advised by a wine merchant who knows and loves his products.
It is therefore essential for certain brands to be embodied by experts. However, this notion needs to be put into perspective for highly standardized products such as Pastis. In this case, the brand ambassador's role is more to intensify presence in the field and interaction with consumers than to introduce them to the famous "petit jaune" so dear to the French.
The brand ambassador has several marketing objectives:
On a day-to-day basis, these major objectives are translated into countless marketing and sales actions, depending on the brand, its market and its distribution strategy. But the ultimate goal is always the same: to encourage consumers to consume the product.
Here are some typical examples of brand ambassador assignments:
To successfully carry out these different missions, brands generally look for profiles that are passionate, gifted in communication, charismatic, rigorous and, above all, autonomous. Because with such a program, brand ambassadors need to know how to manage their time, at the risk of constantly spreading themselves too thin!
Last but not least, ambassadors must embody the brand they represent. Recruitment of this profile can therefore start with an internal reflection on the company's values:
→ What is your brand DNA? 🧬
Unlike the Swiss Army knife salesperson who can sell just about anything, the ambassador is chosen for his or her personality, background and the values he or she embodies.
So it's not unusual for companies to take a long time to find the right profile, especially when their products are very special!
The term "brand ambassador" can play tricks on you. In marketing, it's also used to designate any stakeholder likely to promote your brand. These may be employees or satisfied customers (known as user-generated-content or UGC), but also influencers and other celebrities whom brands may hire from time to time to embody the brand in its advertising, or convince their digital communities to discover a product.
These tried-and-tested communication techniques can be an integral part of your marketing strategy, but they're no substitute for recruiting real brand ambassadors, who, unlike the "brand ambassadors" found mainly on Instagram and TiTok, are employees of your company and are very active in the field.
When we think of mass retailing, countless examples of stars embodying brands come to mind, most recently Léna Situations and Old El Paso.
While this way of engaging the personalities the French love is particularly well-suited to supermarkets, we have seen above that on-trade channels (outside supermarkets) are characterized by a strong need for expertise and education, both from partners (distributors and points of sale) and from consumers themselves.
Because a product is also a story, anecdotes and advice on how to use or prepare it. For a Michelin-starred restaurant or concept bar, the choice of products offered on the menu - and encouraged at the table or bar - is a pillar of the venue's identity.
This is why many CHR establishments tend to prefer products with character; less about price, more about quality. In other words, professionals are generally more inclined to source and offer their customers products that set them apart from the competition. This is an integral part of the consumer experience:
→ Different product, different experience 🏆
So it's only natural for CHR retailers to want to complement this experience with a quality discourse: the bartender, the waiter, the maître d', all have a vested interest in knowing the narrative and values surrounding your brand. Remember, retailers sell myths, and it's up to your brand ambassador to keep the legend alive!
As professionals play a key role in advising their customers, the brand ambassador's objective is to maximize the promotion of your products by these prescribers.
But there are also the consumers themselves, whom you need to activate through a positive first experience. The more your brand plays on innovation or differentiation, the more you need to reach out to the market to get them to dare to try it!
Brands present in the on-trade are used to organizing tastings at strategic moments. For example, when a new brand of alcoholic beverage makes its appearance in a bar, there's nothing like handing out free samples right at pick-up time, when the atmosphere is at its height, say... on a Saturday at midnight! 🎉
These activation operations are all the more important as they enable us to interact with a new customer in a moment of euphoria, and thus associate the brand with a happy memory.
Last but not least, brand ambassadors work closely with their company's sales teams. While they often go on sales tours together, roles must be clearly defined, and each must carry out his or her own missions.
For example, it's the sales rep's job to feed the sales CRM in the on-premise sector.
Before defining the brand ambassador's job description, let's list all the actions that are not part of the ambassador's scope:
By assigning all these actions to field sales, you enable your brand ambassadors to focus their energy on what matters most to customers:
Let's move on to the job description!
Briefly describe your brand's activity, what sets it apart, its approach to the market, the product features that require expertise, experience or even a particular sensibility. What makes you exceptional? Why are you looking for that rare gem? → Mission, promise, market ambition, know-how, values, brand DNA, founders' vision etc.
Job title: CHR Brand Ambassador
Location: France (National mobility required)
Type of contract: CDI/CDD, Full time / Part time
Reporting line: Marketing Director / Sales Manager
Brand representation
Business development
Promotion and animation
Training and support
Competitive intelligence
